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Tuesday, July 01, 2014

Rauner says Quinn commands culture of patronage as IDOT head resigns

CHICAGO - Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner today issued a statement regarding news that the head of the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) has resigned amid questions about illegal political hiring practices at the agency:

"Pat Quinn commands a culture of patronage, corruption and cronyism in Illinois – a fact left unchanged by the resignation of one of his patronage lieutenants. Quinn promised to end patronage in 2010, but that was just another broken promise from a career politician who rose from Dan Walker’s patronage chief to Rod Blagojevich’s defender-in-chief. There’s a reason Pat Quinn is doing everything he can to block Michael Shakman’s lawsuit – from NRI to pay-to-play to IDOT patronage, Pat Quinn will do or say anything to stop the truth from coming out.”

As reported today, Ann Schneider, head of the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), has resigned her position. Gov. Quinn had appointed her transportation secretary in 2011. The department came under fire in April after attorney Michael Shakman asked a federal judge to investigate the agency’s hiring. Shakman argued positions were being “filled with employees based on political considerations rather than qualifications.”

Shakman first sued the state back in 2010 alleging illegal patronage hiring and insisting on a federal monitor. As the Chicago Sun-Times reported then:

U.S. District Judge Wayne R. Andersen, who has been supervising hiring monitors in city and county government based on Shakman's case, appears to be taking Shakman's latest idea seriously. On Jan. 7, he ordered the governor -- who is represented by Attorney General Lisa Madigan's office -- to respond to Shakman's court motion by Feb. 19. Andersen also suggested that Quinn and his general counsel, Theodore Chung, consider entering settlement talks with Shakman and his team of lawyers. ‘The governor's office is evaluating whether to participate in settlement discussions,’ Quinn's office says. It put out a written statement that adds that, meantime, though, the office ‘intends to object to the [Shakman] motion’ because it feels a hiring monitor isn't needed.

However, Quinn told a federal court last month that Shakman’s latest lawsuit against IDOT should be dismissed. The Associated Press reports:

Gov. Pat Quinn has asked a federal court to reject Michael Shakman’s challenge to state hiring, saying the Chicago anti-patronage attorney has no authority to raise questions and seeks resolution that would unnecessarily disrupt government and undermine gubernatorial authority…

“What's striking about the brief is what's not in it,” Shakman said. “... It's a disappointing response from a 'reform' governor.”

“Despite his political outsider persona, Quinn is no stranger to patronage. After serving as an organizer for Democrat Dan Walker's successful 1972 campaign for governor, Quinn joined Walker's staff, where his duties included dishing out patronage as a liaison to state lawmakers. Later, Quinn left the Illinois Industrial Commission after lawmakers launched an investigation into whether Walker had been hiding the payroll costs of governor's office workers on state boards and commissions to make it look like the governor's payroll had dropped.”

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CHICAGO - Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner today issued a statement regarding news that the head of the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) has resigned amid questions about illegal political hiring practices at the agency:

"Pat Quinn commands a culture of patronage, corruption and cronyism in Illinois – a fact left unchanged by the resignation of one of his patronage lieutenants. Quinn promised to end patronage in 2010, but that was just another broken promise from a career politician who rose from Dan Walker’s patronage chief to Rod Blagojevich’s defender-in-chief. There’s a reason Pat Quinn is doing everything he can to block Michael Shakman’s lawsuit – from NRI to pay-to-play to IDOT patronage, Pat Quinn will do or say anything to stop the truth from coming out.”

As reported today, Ann Schneider, head of the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), has resigned her position. Gov. Quinn had appointed her transportation secretary in 2011. The department came under fire in April after attorney Michael Shakman asked a federal judge to investigate the agency’s hiring. Shakman argued positions were being “filled with employees based on political considerations rather than qualifications.”

Shakman first sued the state back in 2010 alleging illegal patronage hiring and insisting on a federal monitor. As the Chicago Sun-Times reported then: